Alex and I managed to reach our dorm building without any further difficulties. There were two male dormitories and two female dormitories within the academy, separated into underclassmen and upperclassmen. Underclassmen were students still taking their general education classes. These students would then be moved to the upperclassmen dormitories once they completed their general education courses and officially decided what kind of students they wanted to be.
The underclassmen dormitory was simple, to say the least. It was clean and well-maintained but lacked any vibrant furniture or decor. It had a warm beige interior with stairs leading to the upper floors, each floor containing narrow hallways lined with rooms.
"Room 287. We're here!" Alex unlocked the door by placing his palm on a round stone above the handle. It seemed like a simple artifact used to read mana signatures.
The room was far from luxurious compared to Raigrey Salttair, but it had a cozy feel to it. Upon entering, there were two closets on the right and a small bathroom on the left with two adjacent sinks, a shower, and a toilet.
Two beds were placed side by side, separated by a nightstand against the left wall, while on the right, there was a long dresser for folded clothes. The sleeping and study areas were divided by a waist-high wall, with three steps leading up to the desk and sofa setup. The two desks were placed against opposing walls, so we'd be facing away from each other while studying. A long sofa was positioned against the mini wall, separating the desks from the beds. The far side of the wall was almost entirely made of glass, which immediately drew me to it. The view covered most of the campus, currently a canvas of autumn colors. Seeing it from here, I wouldn't know this place was an institute for mages without being told.
I sat on the sofa, somewhat excited about the days to come.
"Ahh! We haven't even had dinner, but I'm already wiped out! I wonder whose fault that is?" Alex jumped onto the far bed just behind the sofa.
I collapsed onto the sofa, my body nearly melting from exhaustion. My eyes glazed over, staring at the sky outside my window until I saw the pile of luggage our driver had brought earlier. Sighing, I turned away and denied their existence, dreading the hours of unpacking ahead.
After a brief blink, the scene vanished just as suddenly as it had appeared. What was that? Even though the illusion was gone, the feeling of nostalgia lingered, making my chest feel tight and sore.
Childhood memories— I had a strong suspicion as I saw three children walking along the riverbank. The black-haired boy walking on the right—that was me, wasn't it?
**POV: Sophia**
AGHHH!! I messed up our reunion this time.
I buried my head in my pillow and screamed out my lungs in frustration.
"MMMMMMMFFFFFFFFFPPPHHH!" We were supposed to have an emotional and romantic reunion! Well, it was emotional, but in the opposite direction! Why did I say all that? Why did I attack him? I know Zayn would never fight without reason, but I went and lectured him about something I didn't even see! Gah!! I'm so stupid!
I'm sure he hates me now…
Why did I say that! I even brought up my speech! Bahhh! I must have sounded so pompous! But still, we were in a crowd like that and he did have some fault in the commotion. B-But…
I'm sure he hates me now…
If Zayn had just greeted me or even talked to me normally, I wouldn't have said that! Right! This is all Eizan's fault! He even ignored me when I came all the way there to help sort out the mess he was in! He didn't even say hello! I wasn't expecting a full hug or anything! Who was that black-haired guy who reminded me of a crow? Was he his friend? A close friend? It seemed like they both knew Elisia and Mary! Gahh! This is so frustrating!
I screamed into my pillow again, hoping to release some of my frustration. "MMMMMFFFFFF!"
I hope he doesn't hate me…
There were so many questions I wanted to ask him too. What had he been up to? How was his time as an adventurer? Did he get hurt anywhere? Did he miss us? Did he think about us during the past two years?
**POV: Zayn**
What an idiot I was to say those things to her, and why did I glare at Eizan as if he was my enemy?
How foolish of me. I shouldn't have acted that way toward them, considering they are the only people I have right now.
I also want to ask them the same things. Have they gotten stronger? Did they miss my presence? And most importantly, do they still consider me their friend?
Nostalgia washed over me when I was with them, bringing back beautiful memories.
"Should I apologize to her for speaking so harshly?"
"Should I apologize for glaring at her like that?"
*Sigh*, I let out a small breath.
Tomorrow, I must apologize to them.
**POV: Eizan**
"Instead of blowing up like that, Eizan, wouldn't it have made more sense to just ignore it and walk away?" Alex was still lying on his bed, his head propped up on his hand as he faced me.
"Well, I admit I shouldn't have blown up, but I couldn't help it—"
"No matter what, they are my childhood friends, but everything is a mess now." I let out a small sigh.
"It would be better if you guys make up after this, that is if you want your relationship to remain good." Alex turned on his side on the sofa.
"For the first time, I think you're right, Alex. Hahaha."
I finally made my way to my bed, glancing over at Alex, who seemed to have already fallen asleep.
Lying down, I felt a surge of excitement for the days ahead.
"I hope everything gets better tomorrow."